April 06, 2014

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara made my Indian friends sad today. Him and four ineffectual overs to wrap up India's batting, that is. But hey, good for Sangakkara and Sri Lanka for winning the T20 World Cup.

Andy Carroll just mugged Liverpool's keeper to help West Ham pull to 1-1 at the half.

It all came out evenly in the end. The referee later called a penalty on the West Ham keeper for tripping one of the Liverpool players. It appeared that the Liverpool player was falling as he went toward the ball, the keeper was falling at the same time, and the keepers hand made contact with an ankle. The call might have been correct, but it was oh, so tight.

All 3 goals in this one were the result of referee decisions. On the Andy Carroll mugging, the assistant referee saw clearly that something was amiss on the play, but the referee had given the goal and wouldn't change the call after discussing it with the assistant. The first Liverpool goal was also the result of a penalty, but this one was fairly clear.

As much as I admire what Wenger's done at Arsenal and for the English game as a whole, it is probably time to step down.

He was out thought yesterday, and didn't try and change the side or tactics in response to what was happening on the field.

I know this season has been blighted by injuries, but the club also needs to clean out the playing staff. It still looks like he's been patching up the same team since 2004 (I know that's not true, but it feels true).

While I humbly admit that both teams could lose in the finals, as a fan of University of Connecticut basketball, this was an excellent year. Hurray!

As somebody who picked completely different teams to advance in almost every NCAAM round and, thus, didn't win my local pool, this was a dreadful year. I didn't even do poorly enough to win the "most wrong" prize. Bah,

Wow, Arsenal are really just losing it. Can they get it together to beat second division Wigan next weekend?

I'd like to think Everton had something to do with it too.

He was out thought yesterday, and didn't try and change the side or tactics in response to what was happening on the field.

Here are a couple of pieces on the 3-3-1-3 Martinez is using at Everton. Zonal Marking and the Football Manager forums. Once again let me complain it's kind of shitty that the post-match analysis after Everton's most exciting win since I've been watching is about where Martinez will manage next and who's going to buy Ross Barkley. To which I'd like to respond with a GIF of Seamus Coleman hot dogging down the sideline yesterday, but I can't find one, so you'll have to go here to watch the Vines.

It all came out evenly in the end. The referee later called a penalty on the West Ham keeper for tripping one of the Liverpool players.

Howard, have the Fenway Sports Group roped you in with all the NESN coverage?

I think Martinez is a very good manager and doing a good job at Everton. But:

- Lukaku and Barry, two of Everton's most important players, are on loan and unlikely to be back next season.
- Ross Barkley, for better or worse, is in the same boat as say Wayne Rooney a decade ago and just as likely to be back at Goodison as Wayne was because Wainwright won't be able to resist the amount on offer.
- Martinez is on the rise and whether he leaves this summer or in two or three, leave he will because he'll never realize his ambitions at the club.

Moreover the focus is on Wenger because:

- he's been so good for so long and this kind of late season breakdown is the opposite of his historical record,
- his contract is expiring and he's hesitated to sign a new one (whereas Martinez is in the first year of his), and
- Gooners have been slowly raising the heat on him for the last 24 months and a loss to Wigan or in the cup final will surely result in a lobstering.

Lukaku and Barry, two of Everton's most important players, are on loan and unlikely to be back next season

Agreed about Lukaku but I'm not sure that's true about Barry. His contract with City ends this summer and while there will be demand for him, I don't think he'll be priced out of Everton's range. There's been a lot of hopeful talk about Champions League + Mourinho's comments meaning Lukaku will be available but I don't think that's realistic.

Assuming Barcelona can't weasel out of their punishment, I can't see Delofeu making it to year 2 of the loan deal. All that said, there's some good young talent under contract (including Barkley) and so far Martinez has shown a good eye for talent, though James McCarthy was a bit of cheating as he'd played for Martinez at Wigan. They will need a striker like Lukaku as they look lost to me without a target man up front. No idea if Kone can be that player. Maybe Andy Carroll would like to come back to Liverpool . . .

Howard, have the Fenway Sports Group roped you in with all the NESN coverage?

Didn't watch it on NESN. Hasn't aired there yet; watched on NBC Sports. Between them and Fox Sports Network they broadcast a lot of top quality soccer. The group here on SpoFi talks enough soccer (excuse me, football) that I have tried to at least figure out what they were talking about. Watched MLS for a bit, but now that Premier League, Euro Champions League, Euro League, and FA Cup are regular occupants of the cable sports channels, I find MLS to be less than top flight - at least on a consistent basis.

I did start watching Liverpool because of the John Henry connection, I must admit, but it is not the only reason for staying with Premier League soccer. I must admit too that I watch NASCAR, initially rooting for the Roush Fenway Group, but not because of the Fenway connection but because of my partiality for Fords. Roush Fenway has lost a bit of my favor lately, so I am beginning to lean toward Petty and their Ford team.